Latch mechanism for a folding camera

ABSTRACT

A folding camera including first and second members pivotally coupled to each other for movement between extended and folded positions and an erecting system for guiding such movement. The erecting system includes a pair of links and a rangefinderviewfinder mounted near one end of each of the links. The rangefinder-viewfinder is provided with a locking mechanism for cooperating with structure on one of the aforementioned members to lock the members and erecting system against relative movement when the camera is in the folded position.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Irving Erliehman Wayland, Mass. [211App]. No. 845,130 [22] Filed July 28, 1969 [45] Patented Jan. 4, 1972[73] Assignee Polaroid Corporation Cambridge, Mass.

[54] LATCH MECHANISM FOR A FOLDING CAMERA 8 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

[521 US. Cl 95/11 R [51] Int. Cl ..G03b 19/02 [50] Field of Search 95/11R [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 654,791 7/1900 Graf95/11RUX Erdminer lohn M. Floran Assistant Examiner-Kenneth C. HutchisonAttorneys-Brown and Mikulka and Alfred E. Corrigan ABSTRACT: A foldingcamera including first and second members pivotally coupled to eachother for movement between extended and folded positions and an erectingsystem for guiding such movement. The erecting system includes a pair oflinks and a rangefinder-viewfinder mounted near one end of each of thelinks. The rangefinder-viewfinder is provided with a locking mechanismfor cooperating with structure on one of the aforementioned members tolock the members and erecting system against relative movement when thecamera is in the folded position.

PATENTED JAN 4 i972 INVENTOR. IRVIN G ERLICH MAN Enownamdm and ATTORNEY1 LATCH MECHANISMFOR A FOLDING CAMERA The present invention is concernedwith improvements in photographic apparatus, e.g., folding cameras ofthe selfdeveloping type adapted to be employed with a film unitineluding, for an example, a photosensitive element, a superposedimagereceiving element, and a supply of processing liquid adapted to bedistributed between the photosensitive and image-' receiving elements.The camera includes a plurality of housing members coupled 'to eachother for movement between an extended, operative position in which someof the members cooperate to form sides of an exposure chamber and afolded, inoperative position wherein said members occupy a minimum ofspace. An erecting system including a rangefinderviewfinder is coupledto the members for guiding the housing members between the extended andfolded positions.

An object of the invention is to provide, in photographic apparatus ofthe type set forth above, including at least two members coupled formovement between extended and folded positions and an erecting systemfor guiding the members between said extended and folded positions,means coupled with said erecting system and adapted to cooperate withone of said members for locking said members and said erecting systemagainst relative movement when said members are in the folded position.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in photographic apparatusof the foregoing type, including a plurality of housing members coupledto each other for movement between extended and folded positions andlocking means for locking said members in said folded position, meansadapted to be grasped by a'users hand for simultaneously moving saidlocking means to an inoperative position and for moving said members tosaid extended position.

Still another object of the invention is to construct and arrange thevarious components of a folding camera including an erecting system andlocking apparatus such that they occupy a minimum of space when thecamera is in the folded position, thereby increasing the facility bywhich it may be carried by the user.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in partappear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the apparatus possessing theconstruction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts whichare exemplified in the following detailed disclosure, and the scope ofthe application of which will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention,reference should be had to the following detailed description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a folding camera shown in its extendedor operative position;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the camera depicted in FlG. 1 shown inits folded or inoperative position; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary view, partly in section, of a sectionof the camera.

Reference is now made to the drawing wherein is shown photographicapparatus in the form of a folding camera of the selfdeveloping type.Camera 10 is comprised of a firsthousing section or member l2, asecondhousing member 14, and a thirdhousing member 16 incorporating alens and shutter assembly 18. First-' housing member 12, which ispivotally coupled to second-housing member 14 at pivot or hinge 20, isin the form of a relatively thin parallelepipedon and includes a rearwall 22 which functions as a loading door for gaining access to theinterior of the camera, parallel sidewalls or flanges 24 and an innerwall (*not shown) formed with an exposure opening therein for locatingthe forwardmost film unit in a film pack or assembly of film units inposition for exposure.

Secondhousing member 14 supports, on its interior wall, a reflectingsurface, e.g., a mirror for directing light from the lens and shutterassembly 18 toward a film unit located within housing member 12 inposition for exposure. Housing member 75 2 14 includes a pair ofrecessed portions 26 and 28 located toward the end of member 14 which ispivotally coupled to housing member 12 and a groove 30 running alongeach sidewall 32 (only one of which isshown'), the functions 6f whichwill be explained shortly. The end'o'f memberl i'remot'e from pivot 20is pivotally coupled to a cover member 34 about hinge 36. Cover member34 is in turn pivotally coupled to housing member 16 at hinge '38.

Housing member 16, which is also'generallyparallelepiped in shape, hasathickness dimension (measured-along'the'optie axis) slightly less thanthe'thickness of housingmem'b'er l2 and is pivotally mounted betweensidewalls 24 for pivotal movement between a folded position as showninFlG. 2 in which housing member 16 is located betweensidew'alls 24 andan erect or operative position shown in 'FIG. linwhich'housing member16has been pivoted'from the foldedjpositionthrough an angle of lessthan90,e.g., approximately to 752 with respect to housing member 12. lnaddition to lens and shutter assembly 18 which includes an adjustablefocus objective'leh's, housing member 16 includes a focusin'g control 42and a window 44 for controlling operation of the shutter which ispreferably of the automatic photoresponsive type and -a shutter releasebutton 46. Housing members 12 and 16 cooperate to define an opening 40'therebetween through which a film unit is adapted to be advancedsubsequent to exposure. Housing sections 12, 14 and'l6 and cover 34define four sides of a lighttight exposure chamber whichhas its tworemainingsides closed by a flexible bellows-18.

Erecting means, generally indicated at 50, areprovided'for guiding andsupporting the housing members betweenandin the extended and foldedpositions. The erecting means 50include a'pair of links 52 pivotallymounted to an inner-frame member of the camera at pivots '54 (only oneof which is shown) located on opposite sides of 'the camera adjacentflanges 24 and a rangefinderviewfinder 56 pivotally coupled at 58 to theopposite ends of the links. Rangefinderviewfinder 56 also functions as aforceapplying means for transmittinga force to the various housingmembers to'move them'between the extended and folded positions. A pin(not shown) mounted on an intermediate portionof each link 52 rides'inslot 30 located in'each sidewall 32of housing'member14 to transmit aforce from force-applying means 56 to housing member 14 to move thehousing'members between the-extended and folded positions.Rangefinderviewfinder 56 includes portions 60 and 62 which rest inrecesses 26 and 28', respectively, when the camera is in the foldedposition, thereby enabling the camera to assume a parallelepipedconfiguration in the folded position. Portion 62 is also'indented at 64to provide a recess in which part of the locking means of the camerawillbe positioned when the camera is inthe folded position. For otherdetails of the camera, reference may be made to my copendingapplication, 'Ser. No. 763,883, filed Sept. 30, 1968.

In cameras of the foregoing type, it is important that they be securelylocked in the folded position. Cameras of the folding type areespecially subject to damage when they are in a position between thefully extended and fully closed positions, e.g., one of the erectinglinks could be inadvertently twisted-or bent thereby adversely effectingthe'entire alignment of the various folding sections. Accordingly, thelocking mechanism of the camera must not only maintain'the components ofthe camera in the folded position, but must also be of the type whichwill reduce to a minimum the possibility of being actuated inadvertentlywhile in a personssuit pocketor carrying case. Further, if the operationof unlocking the locking mechanism and moving the components of thec'amera-tothe extended position is to be done in a simple and swiftmanner, the release for the locking mechanism and the meansfor movingthe various components of the camera tothe extended position should belocated so'that these steps may be performedsimultaneously with aminimum of effort. The instant invention is constructed andarranged'to'incorporate'tliese ad'- vantageous features in a simple,efficient and unobvious manner.

Each distal end of rangefmderviewfinder 56 is provided with a recess 70for receiving the release means of a locking mechanism indicatedgenerally at 72. Locking mechanism 72 (only one of which will bedescribed because they are identical) includes a locking means 74 in theform of a chamfered detent mounted on a resilient plate 76 which, inturn, is mounted on an internal wall of the rangefinderviewfinder at 78.A pin 80 is mounted on plate 76 and extends through an opening 82 in therecessed end wall of rangefinderviewfinder 56. A release means 84 in theform of a plate having a knurled or otherwise suitably roughened surfaceis attached to the opposite end of pin 80. In the unstressed conditionof plate 76, i.e., the folded position of the camera as shown in FIG. 3,release means 84 lies within the recess 70 such that each release means84 substantially forms a continuation of each flange 24, rather thanprotruding from the side of the camera where it could be inadvertentlyactuated. As can be seen in FIG. 3, detent 74 is adapted to enter recess86 in housing member 12. Release means 84 is spaced a sufficientdistance away from the recessed wall 88 to enable detent 74 to bewithdrawn from locking engagement with hole 86 when the release means 84are pushed toward each other. The chamfered edge of detent 74 allows thedetent to automatically ride over the edge 90 of housing member 12 whenthe camera is folded. When it is desired to move the various members ofthe camera from he folded position shown in FIG. 2 to the extendedposition shown in FIG. 1, the user merely grasps the forceapplying meansor rangefinderviewfinder 56 with the middle three fingers of one handand, using the remaining thumb and little finger to engage each of therelease means 84, simultaneously exerts inward pressure on each of therelease means 84 to withdraw detents 74 from their respective recesses86 and upward pressure on the rangefinderviewfinder to move the varioushousing members to the erect position via links 52.

From the foregoing it can be seen that there has been disclosed a noveland efficient means for locking a camera in a folded position with therelease means therefor located so as to minimize the possibility ofinadvertent actuation and an erecting system coupled to the varioussections of the camera and associated with the release means such thatthe various sections can be simultaneously unlocked and moved to theerect position with a minimum of effort and time. The various componentsof the folding camera, including the locking and release means and therangefinderviewfinder, are structurally correlated with with each otherso as to present a thin, compact camera having a parallelepipedconfiguration when in the folded position, thereby increasing thefacility by which it may be carried.

Since certain changes may be made in the above apparatus withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention herein involved, it isintended that all matter contained in the above description or shown inthe accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not ina limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

l. A folding camera including first and second members pivotally coupledto each other for movement between an operative, extended position and acompact, folded position comprising, in combination:

erecting means for supporting and guiding said first and second membersbetween said extended and folded positions, said erecting meansincluding forceapplying means adapted to be grasped by a user and movedrelative to said first and second members to move said members betweensaid positions;

locking means mounted on said forc'eapplying means and adapted to engagemeans on one of said first or second members for releasably locking saidfirst and second members in said folded position; and

release means mounted on said forceapplying means for moving saidlocking means to an inoperative position, said release means and saidforceapplying means being positioned adjacent each other so as to bereadily grasped by a user's hand for simultaneously moving said lockingmeans to an inoperative position and moving said members to saidextended position. 2. A folding camera as defined in claim I whereinsaid erecting means includes link means, said forceapplying means beingpivotally coupled near one end of said link means, and said lockingmeans being positioned near at least one distal end of saidforceapplying means.

3. A folding camera including first and second members pivotally coupledto each other for movement between an operative, extended position and acompact, folded position comprising, in combination:

erecting means, including link means, for supporting and guiding saidfirst and second members between said extended and folded positions,said erecting means further including forceapplying means pivotallycoupled near one end of said link means and having a recess in eachdistal end thereof, said forceapplying means being adapted to be graspedby a user for moving said members between said positions; locking meansmounted on said forceapplying means and being positioned near at leastone distal end thereof, said locking means being adapted to engage meanson one of said first or second members for releasably locking said firstand second members in said folded position; and

release means mounted on said forceapplying means and positioned withineach said recess therein for moving said locking means to an inoperativeposition, said release means and said forceapplying means beingpositioned adjacent each other so as to be readily grasped by a usershand for simultaneously moving said locking means to an inoperativeposition and moving said members to said extended position.

4. A folding camera as defined in claim 3 wherein said forceapplyingmeans is a rangefinderviewfinder.

5. A folding camera as defined in claim 4 where said first memberincludes a pair of parallel flanges for receiving said second sectiontherewithin when said camera is in said folded position and said releasemeans includes portions adapted to be engaged by the user for actuatingsaid locking means, said portions being located substantially in linewith said flanges and forming a continuation of said flanges when saidcamera is in said folded position.

6. A folding camera as defined in claim 5 wherein said locking means isadapted to engage means on said first section for releasably retainingsaid camera in said folded position.

7. A folding camera as defined in claim 6 wherein said locking meansincludes a resilient plate mounted on said forceapplying means andchamfered detent means attached to said plate for automatically engagingmeans on said first member as said first and second members are movedtoward said folded position for releasably locking said first and secondmembers in said folded position.

8. A folding camera as defined in claim 7 wherein the configuration ofsaid camera in said folded position is substantially parallelepiped.

* i i i

1. A folding camera including first and second members pivotally coupledto each other for movement between an operative, extended position and acompact, folded position comprising, in combination: erecting means forsupporting and guiding said first and second members between saidextended and folded positions, said erecting means includingforce-applying means adapted to be grasped by a user and moved relativeto said first and second members to move said members between saidpositions; locking means mounted on said force-applying means andadapted to engage means on one of said first or second members forreleasably locking said first and second members in said foldedposition; and release means mounted on said force-applying means formoving said locking means to an inoperative position, said release meansand said force-applying means being positioned adjacent each other so asto be readily grasped by a user''s hand for simultaneously moving saidlocking means to an inoperative position and moving said members to saidextended position.
 2. A folding camera as defined in claim 1 whereinsaid erecting means includes link means, said force-applying means beingpivotally coupled near one end of said link means, and said lockingmeans being positioned near at least one distal end of saidforce-applying means.
 3. A folding camera including first and secondmembers pivotally coupled to each other for movement between anoperative, extended position and a compact, folded position comprising,in combination: erecting means, including link means, for supporting andguiding said first and second members between said extended and foldedpositions, said erecting means further including force-applying meanspivotally coupled near one end of said link means and having a recess ineach distal end thereof, said force-applying means being adapted to begrasped by a user for moving said members between said positions;locking means mounted on said force-applying means and being positionednear at least one distal end thereof, said locking means being adaptedto engage means on one of said first or second members for releasablylocking said first and second members in said folded position; andrelease means mounted on said force-applying means and positioned withineach said recess therein for moving said locking means to an inoperativeposition, said release means and said force-applying means beingpositioned adjacent each other so as to be readily grasped by a user''shand for simultaneously moving said locking means to an inoperativeposition and moving said members to said extended position.
 4. A foldingcamera as defined in claim 3 wherein said force-applying means is arangefinder-viewfinder.
 5. A folding camera as defined in claim 4 wheresaid first member includes a pair of parallel flanges for receiving saidsecond section therewithin when said camera is in said folded positionand said release means includes portions adapted to be engaged by theuser for actuating said locking means, said portions being locatedsubstantially in line with said flanges and forming a continuation ofsaid flanges when said camera is in said folded position.
 6. A foldingcamera as defined in claim 5 wherein said locking means is adapted toengage means on said first section for releasably retaining said camerain said folded position.
 7. A folding camera as defined in claim 6wherein said locking means includes a resilient plate mounted on saidforce-applying means and chamfered detent means attached to said platefor automatically enGaging means on said first member as said first andsecond members are moved toward said folded position for releasablylocking said first and second members in said folded position.
 8. Afolding camera as defined in claim 7 wherein the configuration of saidcamera in said folded position is substantially parallelepiped.